The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-22
COST OF CLOTHES.
How Much Money 1t Takes to be Well
Dressed Man.

money by going over to London to
buy their clothes. II is particu-
larly true of actors, who are
obliged to have large number Of
suits on hand, but the economy is
Just as evident among less extern
sive purchasers. Herbert Kelsey
went to England this year for the
sole purpose Of replenishing his
wardrobe. "One can get good
clothes on this side Of the water,
undoubtedly" he said, "but the
trouble is they cost triple what
they do in London. A crack tail
or here charges $50 for a pair of
trousers, and that sum will buy
exactly three pairs in England"
The tailors of New York are
constantly growing more exorbi-
tant in their prices. There are, of
course, huge emporiums or bazaars
where clothes are clipped out like
shoe pegs and sold like hot mullins,
but it goes without saying that
well-dressed men do not patronize
them. A man to earn the distinc-
ton Of being pronounced we'll
dressed. in New York must exer-
else great care not to dress too
much or too richly. He must
spend considerable sums upon his
attire, but nothing like the amounts
set down Of late in numerous artl-
cles that are floating about in the
daily press concerning the cost Of
a well-dressed New Workers. ward
robe. The statement that at least
10000 men here spend $4,000 a
year on clothes causes an aching
void to replace my heart. I'm not
an expert on clothes, but [ realize
the absrdity Of that statement.
Suppose man buys eight suits
of clothes year, which is an ex-
traordinary number, the cost would
be about as follows from any of the
leading tailors:
Two frock suits. .S24O
One evening suit. t.......... l2O
Two business suits. ..... l3O
! Three cutaway suits. ..... 27O
This would call for less than
$500 of the $4,000 year, leaving
the overcoat, yachting fannels and
| underwear to come out of the trif-
ling balance. Even under these
conditions man would have from
Is to 20 suits in his wardrobe, for
they would accumulate rapidly
with one coming in every six weeks
In sober fact tailor who succeeds
in yanking what the gamblers call
"a merry little FIVE 'underd'' out Of
a customer regards him with rev.
erence, respect and affection. There
is limit to such ulterior and in
terror trappings as overgaiters,
scarfs and linen. A thousand dol
lars year will dress the Prince of
Wales or the most impressive Of
Union or Knickerbocker men.
IF he buys his toggery in Lon
don half the sum will bring the
same results, though I thoroughly
believe that there are better tailors
in New York than across the wa
ter. Two men who sat on the rail
Of a yacht the other day we're COM
pairing the prices Of their yachting
fannels. The younger of them
who had just returned from a six
years term at Oxford, said to the
other:
"What did you pay for that
white suit?'
1T was made to order,'' said the
other, surveying his fannels COM
placently. THE coat and trousers
were made by my tailor for S45
and the shirts were $3.50 to order,"
"Well, this outfit said the Ok
ford man, stretching out his ath-
letic legs and exhibiting fannels Of
far better texture and fit than those
of the other man, ''cost, including
shirt, trousers and coat, made by
crack London tailor, just S1l in
our money"
That's the reason it pays to go
abroad to buy your clothes.-
Blakely Hall.